Travel
I got through Duluth yesterday easier than I thought was possible, and traveled east on Hwy. 28. I would have driven US 2 but it was much longer distance-wise, so I decided to do both, cutting down to US 2 further east.
Unfortunately last night I stayed in the buggiest campground I have ever been in. When I got out of the car the bugs were all over me - I had to keep brushing them off to apply Bug Guard. The Bug Guard didn't help much and I got into my tent in late afternoon. That is no way to spend the daylight hours. I had driven to the point where I just didn't want to drive any further, although another few miles would have gotten me to a motel along US 2.
I fell asleep early but woke up to a flashlight shining around but wasn't too worried when I realized it was a guy calling his dog, or his kid, or maybe both. This was at midnight, and I heard a woman calling to kids and more dogs. One dog had a "lab bark" and a couple more were the little yappy kind. The man must have been gathering firewood and it wasn't long when I saw a couple of huge bonfires - big enough that I was slightly worried about them getting out of control. I went back to sleep but woke up several times again during the night, finally getting up about 6:30.
I packed my tent quickly and got ready to leave - I drove past a big motorhome which is how the other party must have avoided the bugs.
I knew I didn't have far to go to get to the bridge, but stopped to take a couple of pictures of Lake Michigan.
I was driving over the bridge at 8 am, wondering why in the world I had worried about it. A bridge is a bridge, and I have driven over many of different lengths and heights, and the Mackinac Bridge is a piece of cake. I had no traffic but there was the roadwork - at least two places where they closed the right lane. No problem.
Pictures of Lake Huron: Note the ducks in the first, and a freighter in the 2nd.
Further along the eastern shore of Michigan I stopped at a lighthouse and museum, but was disappointed that I couldn't climb the stairs. The man in the gift shop said that it is still a working lighthouse and the Coast Guard only allows visitors to go up on weekends.
I stopped at 1 pm this afternoon at a lovely little motel with friendly owners who say they might have a bonfire tonight. Right now I'm going to take a shower and wash my hair, and hope I get rid of all the bugs.
This morning I hated Michigan and would never come back. Now that leaving Michigan will happen tomorrow, I know I will miss it. I really love the UP but now know to never camp there in the summer time. I doubt if I will ever travel in the summertime, except maybe close to home.
Later:
I forgot to include this photo - I think it is "bittersweet"? I know it is used in a lot of dried arrangements, but I like it growing on the bush and up close.
- Day 1 - Nevada
Sacramento to Ely, NV: 445 miles; 9 hrs. On Wednesday I realized I had no TV or internet connection - I mistakenly asked AT&T to turn it off on Apr. 1 rather than Apr. 2. No TV and no internet is hard to deal with when you...
- Searching For Lake Ontario
What a disappointment to find that the shores of Lake Ontario, as many of the other Great Lakes, are in private hands. Today I could only snap a photo from afar while on the Ontario Lake Parkway. Every time I tried to turn down a road that...
- Thur., 8/22 - Lorain, Oh
Today wasn't what I had hoped or expected, but it got me to where I am now. The first part was along Lake Huron, mostly hidden by all the cottages and resorts on US23. I would really like to return to this eastern shore of Michigan some...
- Voyageurs National Park
I pulled into the state forest campground near Voyageurs National Park and found a site, set up my tent, determined that I have wi-fi, and found that I'm going to be eaten alive with tiny little bugs I can't see. I don't know how I'll...
- Burns, Oregon
I left Lava Beds at 8 am thinking I had a leisurely 100 mile drive to Crater Lake. It is an awesome place that sometimes makes you think you are in another world. I forgot the name of the Wildlife Refuge on the way and didn't...
Travel
Wed., Aug 21, 2013
I got through Duluth yesterday easier than I thought was possible, and traveled east on Hwy. 28. I would have driven US 2 but it was much longer distance-wise, so I decided to do both, cutting down to US 2 further east.
Unfortunately last night I stayed in the buggiest campground I have ever been in. When I got out of the car the bugs were all over me - I had to keep brushing them off to apply Bug Guard. The Bug Guard didn't help much and I got into my tent in late afternoon. That is no way to spend the daylight hours. I had driven to the point where I just didn't want to drive any further, although another few miles would have gotten me to a motel along US 2.
I fell asleep early but woke up to a flashlight shining around but wasn't too worried when I realized it was a guy calling his dog, or his kid, or maybe both. This was at midnight, and I heard a woman calling to kids and more dogs. One dog had a "lab bark" and a couple more were the little yappy kind. The man must have been gathering firewood and it wasn't long when I saw a couple of huge bonfires - big enough that I was slightly worried about them getting out of control. I went back to sleep but woke up several times again during the night, finally getting up about 6:30.
I packed my tent quickly and got ready to leave - I drove past a big motorhome which is how the other party must have avoided the bugs.
I knew I didn't have far to go to get to the bridge, but stopped to take a couple of pictures of Lake Michigan.
I was driving over the bridge at 8 am, wondering why in the world I had worried about it. A bridge is a bridge, and I have driven over many of different lengths and heights, and the Mackinac Bridge is a piece of cake. I had no traffic but there was the roadwork - at least two places where they closed the right lane. No problem.
Pictures of Lake Huron: Note the ducks in the first, and a freighter in the 2nd.
Further along the eastern shore of Michigan I stopped at a lighthouse and museum, but was disappointed that I couldn't climb the stairs. The man in the gift shop said that it is still a working lighthouse and the Coast Guard only allows visitors to go up on weekends.
I stopped at 1 pm this afternoon at a lovely little motel with friendly owners who say they might have a bonfire tonight. Right now I'm going to take a shower and wash my hair, and hope I get rid of all the bugs.
This morning I hated Michigan and would never come back. Now that leaving Michigan will happen tomorrow, I know I will miss it. I really love the UP but now know to never camp there in the summer time. I doubt if I will ever travel in the summertime, except maybe close to home.
Later:
I forgot to include this photo - I think it is "bittersweet"? I know it is used in a lot of dried arrangements, but I like it growing on the bush and up close.
- Day 1 - Nevada
Sacramento to Ely, NV: 445 miles; 9 hrs. On Wednesday I realized I had no TV or internet connection - I mistakenly asked AT&T to turn it off on Apr. 1 rather than Apr. 2. No TV and no internet is hard to deal with when you...
- Searching For Lake Ontario
What a disappointment to find that the shores of Lake Ontario, as many of the other Great Lakes, are in private hands. Today I could only snap a photo from afar while on the Ontario Lake Parkway. Every time I tried to turn down a road that...
- Thur., 8/22 - Lorain, Oh
Today wasn't what I had hoped or expected, but it got me to where I am now. The first part was along Lake Huron, mostly hidden by all the cottages and resorts on US23. I would really like to return to this eastern shore of Michigan some...
- Voyageurs National Park
I pulled into the state forest campground near Voyageurs National Park and found a site, set up my tent, determined that I have wi-fi, and found that I'm going to be eaten alive with tiny little bugs I can't see. I don't know how I'll...
- Burns, Oregon
I left Lava Beds at 8 am thinking I had a leisurely 100 mile drive to Crater Lake. It is an awesome place that sometimes makes you think you are in another world. I forgot the name of the Wildlife Refuge on the way and didn't...